Infant&#39;s training cup



Nov. 26, 1968 A. s. WAKSMAN ET AL I 3,412,892

INFANTS TRAINING CUP Filed April 2 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l 54 A ,1 25 r i i;

BY um Mmrmw ATTORNEY Nov. 26, 1968 A. s. WAKSMAN ET AL 3,412,892

INFANT'S TRAINING CYUP Filed April 27, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tic]. E.

7. M/ HIM o INVENTORS 44,4455? M/rs/mm/ PamS/Mxsnmv x W m ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,412,892 INFANTS TRAINING CUP Alan S. Waksman and Ruth S. Waksman, both of 2 Stuyvesant Oval, New York, N.Y. 10009 Filed Apr. 27, 1966, Ser. No. 551,833 6 Claims. (Ci. 22090.4)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A training cup includes a receptacle provided with a separable flat panel inclined downwardly from the upper border of the cup to a diametrically opposite point. A triangular discharge opening is formed in the upper part of the panel and a slidable valve plate is provided for adjusting the discharge opening. A vent opening is formed in the bottom border of the panel.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in receptacles and it relates particularly to an improved device for training infants to drink properly from receptacles such as cups, mugs, or the like.

It is a difficult procedure to train an infant who has been fed liquids by means of a nursing bottle to drink properly from a conventional type of drinking cup or mug. Not only is the infant unfamiliar with the proper positioning of the cup at the infants mouth but also the infant is not sufficiently deft in controlling and directing the flow of the liquid from the cup into the mouth at the desired rate. Consequently, with conventional cups, the training of an infant to drink therefrom is a time consuming and commonly aggravating procedure, a process which is highly inconvenient and frequently results in mishaps and accidents. While many types of infants drinking receptacles have been proposed heretofore, these possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. They generally achieve very little in training the infant to drink from a conventional cup and otherwise leave much to be desired.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved receptacle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved drinking cup.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved receptacle for training infants to drink from conventional cups.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved infants training cup which may be adjusted to different stages of the training.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a device of the above nature characterized by its efficiency, adaptability, ruggedness, and low cost.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view of an infants drinking cup embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical medial sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention, the associated drinking receptacle being shown by broken line;

FIGURE 6 is a view taken along line 66 in FIG- URE 5 and FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 77 in FIGURE 5.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of a training cup or mug comprising an opentopped receptacle, a closure panel positioned within said receptacle and engaging the interior wall thereof and being inclined downwardly from the upper part to a point above the bottom of said receptacle, said panel having a discharge opening formed therein adjacent its upper edge.

According to a preferred form of the infants training cup, the open-topped receptacle is a conventionally shaped drinking cup having a downwardly tapering peripheral wall and the closure panel is provided with an upwardly diverging peripheral wall which nests in and mates the upper inner face of the cup. The opening in the upper border of the closure panel is of triangular shape with its apex at the edge of the panel and a valve member plate is slidably supported along the undersurface of the closure panel and movable along the length of the discharge opening to vary the size thereof, means being provided for releasably locking the valve member in a preset position.

In accordance with another form of the improved infants training cup, the receptacle is formed of a lower cup section and an upper collar section separably secured to the lower section in coaxial end-to-end relationship. The inclined panel may be integrally formed with the collar section and extends upwardly to a point below the upper edge thereof. The upper section, adjacent the uppermost reach of the inclinned panel is shaped to define a channel cooperating with the discharge opening in the panel. The discharge opening is in the form of an elongated slot and a valve plate is slideable along the bottom thereof and releasably lockable in a predetermined position.

Referring now to the drawing and particularly FIG- URES 1 to 4 thereof, which illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral 10 generally designates the improved infants training cup which comprises a receptacle 12 including a lower cylindrical cupshaped base section 14 and an upper tubular collar section 16. Base section 14 includes a circular bottom portion 18 and an upstanding peripheral wall directed upwardly from the edge of the bottom. Projecting upwardly from the outer border of the upper edge of peripheral wall 20 is a vertical collar 22 having formed on its inner face a plurality of circumferentially spaced helical coupling ridges which extend to the upper edge of collar 22.

The receptacle upper section 16 comprises a cylindrical wall 24 having the same outside and inside diameters as wall 20 of base section 14. A depending sleeve 26 is provided along the inner edge of wall 24. Formed in the inner face of the sleeve 26 are a plurality of circumferentially spaced helical grooves mating helical ridges 25 of wall 20 and extending to the lower edge thereof. In the assembled condition of upper and lower sections 14 and.

16, collar 26 telescopes collar 22 and the lower face thereof abuts the annular shoulder adjacent the inner face of collar 22, and the helical ridges and grooves in collars 22 and 26 are in mating interlocking engagement. Lower and upper sections 14 and 16 may be assembled and disassembled by mutually screwing and unscrewing them respectively.

An inclined elliptical panel 28 is integrally formed with cylindrical wall 24 and extends upwardly from the lower edge of the interior thereof to a point below the upper edge thereof to delineate an upper drinking lip 30. Panel 28 registers with the full inner periphery of wall 24 and is provided at its upper part with a diametrically extending slot 32 which extends diametrically from wall 24 at the base of lip 30 to a point short of the center of panel 28.

An elongated valve plate 34 underlies and slideably engages the under face of panel 28 and registers with and extends diametrically along the length of slot 32, being of greater width than slot 32. A rectangular ridge 36 is integrally formed on the top face of valve plate 34 and slideably engages slot 32 and terminates at its trailing end in a shallow cylindrical base disposed within the slot 32 and provided with a coaxial upstanding threaded shank 40 projecting above panel 28. A resilient domed spring washer 42 registers with threaded shank 40 and is provided with a curved peripheral lip 44 which bears upon the upper faces of the borders of the slot 32. A finger nut 46 engages shank 40 and bears on washer 42 to effect a releasable locking of valve plate 34 at any desired position along slot 32.

The leading edge 48 of valve plate 34 is of the same curvature as the inside face of wall 24 and is vertically bevelled relative to the valve plate to permit the complete closure of slot 32 therein, with edge 48 of the valve plate matingly engaging the inside face of wall 24. The inside face of lip 30 has a vertically extending channel 50 formed therein, extending to slot 32 and of greater width than the slot. Base 52 of channel 50 is downwardly inwardly inclined from the upper outer edge of wall 24. Spaced inwardly of and adjacent the lower edge of panel 28 is a pair of air vents 54.

In employing the improved infants training cup described above, the cup is loaded by unscrewnig top section 16 from bottom section 14, the material to be imbibed placed in the bottom section 14, and the bottom section 114 closed by screwing the top section 16 thereonto. Slot 32 is then opened to a discharge opening of the desired size, depending upon the age and stage of training of the infant by loosening nut 46 and sliding the valve plate 34 to the desired position and then tightening the nut 46. The infant, with the needed assistance, then drinks from the cup 10 by applying the cup lip 52 to its mouth and tilting the cup 10, the rate of flow of the cups contents being controlled by the size of the discharge opening, and the channel 50 directing the flow into the infants mouth. The cup 10 may be completely closed for storage purposes by completely closing the slot 32 with the valve plate 34 in the manner described above.

In FIGURES to 7 of the drawings there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention which includes a drinking cup 56 of conventional configuration, including a circular bottom wall 58 and a peripheral wall 60 diverging upwardly from the edge of bottom wall 58. A training member 64 separably nests in the upper part of the cup 56 and includes an inclined closure panel 66 of elliptical shape provided along its peripheral edge with an integrally formed, upwardly directed diverging wall 68 the outer face of which mates and releasably engages the upper inner face of wall 60. It should be noted that while wall 68 in the illustrated embodiment is shown terminating below the upper edge of the wall 60 it may terminate at or above the upper edge of wall 60.

Formed in the upper border of panel 66 is a triangularly shaped discharge opening 70 symmetrical to the major axis of panel 66 with a corner disposed adjacent the topmost edge of panel 66. A vent opening 72 is formed in the bottom border of panel 66. A pair of transversely spaced, longitudinal track members 74 are integrally formed with the panel 66 and are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of and parallel to the major axis of panel 66. Each track member 74 includes a depending arm 76 and an inwardly directed finger 78.

Supported by and between and slidably engaging tracks 74 is a substantially rectangular valve plate 80 which underlies and is held in engagement with the underface of panel 66 by track legs 78 which engage the longitudinal borders of the underface of the valve plate. A plurality of longitudinally-spaced arcuate recesses 82 are formed in the underface of panel 66 along the major axis thereof and a mating arcuate detent 84 is formed on the top face of valve plate 80 and separably engages a selected one of the recesses 82 releasably to lock valve plate 80 in a corresponding selected position. A transversely extending finger piece-defining plate 86 depends from and is integrally formed with the trailing edge of valve plate extending across only a part thereof. A longitudinally extending triangular reinforcing gusset plate 88 depends from the trailing part of valve plate 80 and joins the medial part of plate 86, being integrally formed with plates 80 and 86. A stop member 90 depends from the under face of panel 66 forwardly of vent opening 72 to limit the rearward or opening movement of valve plate 80.

The operation and use of the training cup last described is similar to that first described. The training member 64 is merely removed from the cup 56. Discharge opening 70 is adjusted to the desired size by sliding valve plate 80 as facilitated by the finger piece 86 to a corresponding position in which it is releasably locked by the engagement of detent 84 with a respective recess 82. The training member 64 is then renested in the cup 56 as illustrated in the drawing and the training cup is ready for use and employed in the manner earlier set forth.

While there have been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made Without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A training cup comprising an open topped receptacle, a closure panel positioned within said receptacle and in fluid tight engagement along its full periphery with the inner peripheral wall of said receptacle and being inclined downwardly from the upper part to a diametrically opposite point above the bottom of said receptacle, said panel having a discharge opening formed therein adjacent its upper edge.

2. The training cup of claim 1, including valve means for adjusting the size of said discharge opening.

3. The training cup of claim 1, wherein said discharge opening comprises a slot extending diametrically from the upper edge of said panel, and including a closure plate underlying said panel in registry with said slot and slideable along the length thereof, and means for releasably locking said plate against movement along said slot.

4. The training cup of claim 1, wherein said panel has a vent opening formed adjacent the lower edge thereof.

5. A training cup comprising an open topped receptacle including an inner member having a downwardly converging peripheral wall and nesting in the upper part of the cup, said member having a bottom closure portion engaging the inner peripheral wall of the cup and inclined downwardly from the upper part of the inner member to a point above the bottom of the said receptacle, said bottom portion including a peripherally extending section having an outer face mating the inner face of said cup peripheral wall, said bottom portion having a discharge opening formed adjacent its upper edge, said opening being of triangular shape with a corner directed toward said upper edge, a valve plate longitudinally slideably supported along the under face of said panel in registry with said discharge opening and a vent opening adjacent the lower edge to the bottom closure portion, and means for releasably locking said valve plate in predetermined positions.

6. The training cup of claim 5, wherein said peripheral wall "diverges upwardly from the peripheral edge of said bottom closure member and having an outer face in slidable mating engagement with the inner face of said cup peripheral wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 84,242 11/1868 Winkler 220-904 1,090,264 3/1914 Adams 220-41 1,421,696 7/1922 Kucera 220-902 2,623,368 12/1952 Olsen 220-904 3,150,084 9/1964 Rodges i 220-902 RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner. 

